Katrina has the worst luck. She was the diamond of her first season until a man (whom she didn't even like!) climbed into her bedroom to declare his love, and ended up dueling her brother. She's finally settled into a happy life as a spinster and lady's companion when the same man tries climbing into her bedroom again—only this time, he falls to his death. Her only chance of redeeming her reputation now is marriage—but not to the impoverished duke who once stole her heart. He's all but engaged to an heiress. So why does he keep driving all her other suitors away?

This is an entertaining and heartwarming Regency romp full of whimsical characters and heartwarming friendships. It's a joy to read.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Playful, passionate, and charming!

What’s a Duke Got to Do With It is a heartwarming, enticing tale that sweeps you away to the Isle of Synne during 1821 and into the life of Katrina Denby, a kind young woman who, after having her reputation left in tatters due to the careless amorous actions of the Lord of Landon and having consigned herself to the role of companion to Lady Tesh, has her life turned upside down when after four years of absence she finds herself face-to-face with the only man she’s ever wanted more with, the dashingly handsome Duke of Ramsleigh, Sebastian Thorne, who unfortunately at present seems to be doing whatever he can to secure his engagement to a wealthy heiress in order to save his own dukedom from financial ruin.

The prose is sweet and light. The characters are loyal, supportive, and engaging. And the plot is an entertaining tale full of family, friendship, societal expectations, tricky situations, tender moments, desire, trust, steamy romance, and second chances.

Overall, What’s a Duke Got to Do With It is a swoon-worthy, uplifting, delightful read by Britton that I absolutely devoured and which is a fantastic addition to what is hands down another must-read series for me by one of my all-time favourite historical romance authors.

Two people, scarred with rumors trapping them with soiled reputations, find themselves reunited after four years. Will the flame that started long ago flame to a full fledged fire?

Blurb:
The last thing Katrina Denby expected to find in her garden is the body of the man who ruined her three seasons ago. No matter that his death is a tragic accident, the rumors are enough to kill any woman’s prospects. With two scandals now hounding her, the best she can hope for is a hasty marriage of convenience—until her first love shows up in her drawing room, reminding her of all the reasons why she wanted a love match. If only he weren’t already engaged. . .

Sebastian Thorne, Duke of Ramsleigh, knows what he has to do to save the dukedom from the crushing debts and scandal his father left: marry and marry well. He’s picked the lady, too—a baron’s daughter who is pleasant, if a little boring. But seeing Katrina again makes him want to throw all those perfectly laid plans out the window. The first chance he had with her, he chose his duty over his heart. Doing so again might prove utterly impossible.

I enjoyed this book, however; I am unsure how realistic it would have been for the time. While a person this day and age can see that a man trying to get into an unmarried woman's window was NOT her fault, I do not think that would have happened oh so long ago. Sebastian, as much as I enjoyed him, I think he would have been more selfish. Don't get me wrong, I am delighted that he was not, but "uppercrust" people were not known to be selfless.

I would recommend this book to other historical romance readers.

Thank you for allowing me an advanced copy in return, I am providing an honest review.

There's nothing better than staying up all night to finish a good story and that's just what I did with this book. From the moment I started it, I was drawn in by the two main characters and their immediate conflicts. We're given just a touch of a back story with two young characters, toying with flirtations, realizing a burgeoning love, before they are torn from each other and each faces an incredible struggle that leads them to never really believe they'll see each other again.

Then, by the same circumstances that tore them apart, they are brought together, and much fight the attractions that lay dormant within them for so long. All in the face of people who would disparage and manipulate them for the circumstances that were out of their control.

Sebastian, while described as rake, was really and truly just a cinnamon roll. He was a boy that was enjoying his youth and tell himself what he *thought* he was supposed to do, but in reality found himself falling for Katrina. Katrina herself was swept away by the season and enjoying being a diamond of the first water, until an unscrupulous man compromises her (on the outside) and she is forced to leave London.

There was a lot of angst right out the gate and Britton really didn't pull any punches when it came to reminding us just how awful Katrina had it and how hopeless Sebastian's solutions were. Especially once they found each other and had to fight their returning feelings. While the story has very low steam/spice, the fact that they were pining so much for each other sucked me in and held me there because I NEEDED to know how they were going to overcome everything.

While the ending was definitely satisfying, I will admit that it was all a bit wacky. Side characters popped up to save the day and previously nefarious villains suddenly understood the error of their ways. Not to mention the issue of money was easily resolved with a character that was mentioned only in passing during a single chapter. I felt a bit of whiplash by the end, lol. Yes, despite all of that, I found myself pleased with the ending and the HEA for Sebastian and Katrina.

I'm also intrigued to find out who will be in the next book! I have a couple of ideas...

Years ago Katrina and Sebastian were on their way to becoming an adorable couple when two completely separate events tore them apart. Sebastian's father died and he inherited not only a broke dukedom but also a whole lot of debts. Katrina had some random Lord crawl into her window which ended up in a duel between said lord and Katrina's brother which ended in the brother losing an arm and Katrina being exiled to live with her Aunt, then coming to be a companion to Lady Tesh. Seems like a great beginning to a soap opera.

Fast forward a few years, Sebastian is engaged, and Katrina ends up in the middle of another scandal when the random Lord crawls into her window AGAIN!!, but this time ends up falling out the window and dying. Like hey dude, what's your deal?

Well when Katrina and Sebastian see each other again time stops, and all the feelings come rushing back. Every time they are on the page together sparks fly, and you can feel the yearning they have for each other, and when they finally come together it was deeply satisfying. There was also an adorable dog named Mouse who stole every scene he was in, and I loved the way Katrina loved him!

What’s a Duke Got to Do With It? is the second book in The Synneful Spinsters series. What’s a Duke is an improvement over the first book. This is a second chance romance between two people who were at the center of the Ton and then scandals not of their making fell them both. Like the previous book, a lot of internal dialogue rehashing each of the MCs woes happens over and over. However, there is more external action moving the story forward as well as more enjoyable secondary characters, so the mental repetition doesn’t feel like it is bogging things down. I liked these MCs better and felt the whole story was better fleshed out. It is an enjoyable couple of hours with a little angst and a lot of pining.

Thank you to the author, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the ARC. My opinions are strictly my own.

Christina Britton is quickly becoming a fave historical romance author for me. There is something about how she writes her characters that just feels so good. They are so vulnerable and care for each other so much, I just can’t get enough!

I loved how Britton built the backstory for these characters, and you could feel the chemistry when they first met (again). I couldn’t stop reading because I was dying for them to reach their happy ending, because it seemed like they couldn’t find a way to be together. The angst was incredible, and Sebastian was a truly fantastic MMC. He was so sweet to Katrina even though sometimes he was a bit overbearing or overprotective.

And now I have to eagerly wait for the next one!!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
What’s a Duke Got to Do With It is the second in Christina Britton’s Synneful Spinsters series. It can be read as a standalone, but I recommend the prior book (as well as the related Isle of Synne series) for its colorful cast of characters, namely the delightful dowager Lady Tesh, who remains a constant presence from book to book.
I liked the concept of this one. Both Katrina and Sebastian are solid, decent people to whom life hasn’t been kind. Katrina in particular is tainted by scandal in her past, having been abducted, and it leads people to snub her (and worse). Meanwhile, Sebastian, who was interested in Katrina back then, is dealing with the impoverished dukedom he inherited, the result of a fraudulent investment scheme on his father’s part.
The burn was a bit slower than I expected, and I did feel like Sebastian spent a lot of time waffling between doing what was “right” for the dukedom and marrying for convenience and following his heart. It worked for a while, but it did get a little tired after a while. I was happy when he was willing to make some sacrifices in order to be with her, and while there were some things that were a bit neat and tidy on her end to make things right, I feel like she deserved some compensation for what she went through.
This is a solid read, and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical romance, especially if you enjoy the second chance romance trope!

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Years ago Miss Katrina Denby had the ton at her feet and the interest of Sebastian Thorne, Marquess of Marsten, heir to the Duke of Ramsleigh. It seems like their flirtation might be heading toward HEA when everything falls apart. Sebastian is called away to attend his father and Katrina is embroiled in a scandal when a suitor climbs in her window and ends up in a duel with her brother. Katrina is ruined and takes a job as a companion to the dowager Viscountess Tesh on the Isle of Synne. Things appear to be going well for her, she has gainful employment, her precious dog Mouse, and a dear group of friends, known to all as the oddments, but then the unthinkable happens, the cretin that ruined her life has tracked her down and attempts to climb in her window again, but this time he falls to his death and the local vicar declares Katrina a fallen woman and just like that, she is ruined all over again. And if all that isn’t enough to make you cry, Sebastian comes to Synne, practically betrothed to another and staying with his soon-to-be brother-in-law at Viscountess Tesh’s house. It is clear that their feelings haven’t changed, but it would appear that fate is taunting them with a love that can never be.

Sebastian was on the verge of declaring himself to Katrina when he is called home to learn that his father has died and that the estate is penniless and debt-ridden. For years Sebastian has tried to dig the dukedom out of the crushing debt his father’s gambling created, but it is no use, he will have to marry a heiress to save the estate. He has found the perfect candidate, Miss Diane Bridling, but before her father will give his consent, he wants Sebastian to take his son to the Isle of Synne to rusticate and hopefully forget about his inappropriate attachment to his mistress, Miss Mirabel Hutton, an actress. He and Harlow arrive to stay with Lady Tesh and Sebastian is floored to find the only woman he has ever loved is her companion. Sebastian knows that there can be nothing between them, but the heart wants what the heart wants. Bring on the angst…

This book was well-written and angsty, as are all of Ms. Britton’s books, but this one seemed to have even more angst than usual. Of course, Mouse and Lady Tesh provide comic relief to save the book from being completely depressing before the reader finally gets the happy ending we all know is coming. I loved the previous book and had high hopes for this one, but there was so much anguish and sorrow, that even with the antics of Mouse and Lady Tesh AND a happy ending, it still didn’t completely win me over. Overall, I liked the book and perhaps I set the bar too high after the previous book, therefore setting myself up for a letdown. This is the second book in the series and can easily be read as a standalone title.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Thank you @readforeverpub for the #gifted copy of WHAT’S A DUKE GOT TO DO WITH IT!

Sometimes you just need a delicious little regency romance in your life and Christina Britton’s newest in the Synneful Spinsters series fulfilled that need for me!

I loved being back on the Isle of Synne this time with Miss Katrina Densby who truly has the worst luck in suitors, the sassy elderly Lady Tesh and the other wonderful ladies who make up the Oddments.

And oh my gosh the Duke. He’s so swoon worthy. I love a duke who is down on his luck and will do anything to save his people and his sisters from poverty. Even if it means giving up his own chance at happiness.

The pining between Sebastian and Katrina is so so good. They almost got together several years prior to the book but tragic circumstances prevented their HEA. So you can only imagine how good the pining and longing is when they are reunited on Synne. This whole book is basically that hand flex scene in Pride and Prejudice. IYKYK.

WHAT’S A DUKE GOT TO DO WITH IT comes out on July 11!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5648533543
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CuZqZocru_z/

I have really enjoyed Christina Britton's stories and this is no exception. I love the way she writes a friend group and it reminds me of other well known historical romance authors. Lady Tesh is probably one of my favorite characters but Sebastion and Katrina are two incredibly sweet Cinnamon roll main characters.

Katrina is embroiled in Scandal through no fault of her own and continues to be cast out of society. Sebastion is a Duke in dire need of money to save his estate and everyone who lives in it. these two were friends years ago and when reacquainted again through chance find that the Sparks are still flying between them.

I do wish we would have gotten that first meeting of these two since that part is glossed over completely. but this is about the second chance romance and not the first. I also think the beginning took a little linger to find its footing but around the 50% mark I was really hooked.

if you want a sweet second chance historical romance check this one out!

For the second time in her life, scandal has plagued Katrina Denby, and this time it includes the fallen body of a man trying to climb into her bedroom window. While Katrina is innocent in all forms of the word, she is quickly shunned by the residents of Synne, and becomes set on finding herself a husband to save herself and her friends from additional shame. Meanwhile, the Duke of Ramsleigh, Sebastian, has come to the Isle of Synne with his future brother-in-law in hopes of finally securing his match with an heiress. He has no deep feelings for the woman, but her fortune will help him save those who rely on the Dukedom. But when Sebastian and Katrina meet, it is not as first time acquaintances, but friends from their past lives who always shared more than friendship for the other.

This is my second Christina Britton book and I am definitely a fan! Both of our main characters felt fully developed and complex, each with their own challenges and passions. I appreciated a third act conflict that didn’t resolve solely around the relationship and held real consequences for each main character. While the ending felt a little too convenient, it was also very satisfying and worked well for this excellent historical romance!

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I received a copy of this from the publisher, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
While I have enjoyed books by this author before, this particular book was highly disappointing. It had the right ingredients, but everything seemed so infantile and forced that it made for unrelatable characters and a completely unenjoyable story. I got to spend so much time in the characters' heads that it was boring - all tell tell tell and no show. I"m not sure what happened and hopefully, the author will soon get her groove back.

4.5 STARS: Christina Britton's stories on Synne have been some of my favorites. The writing is well done and her characters are complex and fully developed. This is an extremely sad story that most clearly illustrates how unfairly women were judged and condemned for circumstances far beyond their control. Katrina and Sebastian are both victims of the time they live in but young women, like Katrina, are always especially at risk of being ostracized, banished and left to live in abject poverty. This would be a 5 Star read but I found that both Katrina and Sebastian's trials and tribulations were dragged out a tiny bit too long. In the end, they find their well-deserved HEA and we meet several interesting new characters that I'm hoping will return in their own stories at some point in the future. Recommend.

WHAT I LIKED: Steamy-Romantic-Tragic-Happily Ever After-Wonderful characters

I received a complementary copy of this book and am voluntarily providing my honest review.

Sometimes dukes are as dense as a dull pencil and need a bright, vivacious woman to sharpen them.
Sebastian needs to marry but yearns for Katrina. While figuring out some things the passion between them flares.
I laughed at how Mouse racked Sebastian but it wasn’t for pool.
I also laughed at how the just one night will be enough of course was not enough. It’s like having only one potato chip, it won’t satisfy.
I was anxious to see how it would all wrap up and it was nicely done.
The duke became much wiser in the ways of women!

This book starts at a ball that Katrina Denby and Sebastian Ramsleigh are attending. They have been flirting with each other all season and this was the night that Sebastian was going to declare his intentions. Before he can, he is called away due to his father’s death. Later that night, scandal falls Katrina when another suitor crawls through her window.

Four years later, the story picks up on the Isle of Synne where Katrina is a companion to Lady Tesh. And the same unhinged suitor is back, crawling though her window again. Only this time, he falls to his death, leading to more scandal for Katrina.

Meanwhile, Sebastian is going to marry for money, to pay off the debts his father had. But before he can marry, Sebastian has to take his future brother in law away to the Isle of Synne, so he can ‘forget’ about the actress he is in love with. And guess who they are staying with? Lady Tesh!

Katrina and Sebastian are reunited and the pining and longing begin as they remember the past and dream of what could have been. These two were so sweet trying to fight their attraction and failing. Read this if you enjoy Historical Romances with:

💕 Second chance romance
💕 Force Proximity
💕 Found family - the Oddments

Romance, Cruelty, Solutions:
My first time reading this author and I was a bit underwhelmed. Why so many 5-star reviews? A typical plot with a very slow burn romance that was fairly tedious because it took so long for Katrina to finally get over the mellow drama of her unwarranted reputation and take hold of herself.
Sebastian needed time to get his head on straight but at least he was a caring and charming character that finally came up with a solution to his circumstances.
The charisma was there, and there is passion enough to give it a mature reader advisory.
Several characters make up this story with the addition of the dog Mouse who I truly appreciated reading about.
The story was mostly about overcoming various situations and finding oneself. A good story just a bit long and drawn out for me.
Mature Advisory🌶:

I really enjoyed this one, but I think it drove home the patriarchy of the time more than any other historical romance I’ve read. Katrina has been ostracized not only in London, but also in the close knit community on the Isle of Synne. Katrina has done NOTHING wrong, but cannot get past the innuendo surrounding circumstances that happened in her midst.

This was a sloooow burn, second chance romance. I wish we had gotten to see a bit more of Katrina and Sebastian. The shunning she endured made me so sad. And then the ending tied up a little too quickly and neatly for all the suffering she endured.

At least we had Mouse, the big lovable dog, to provide some comic relief. And I loved Lady Tesh, the irascible dowager Viscountess, who always knows more than she lets on and seems to be pulling string behind the scenes.

Great storyline though and a wonderful and well deserved HEA!

I’m not really sure what to think of this story. I loved the first book in this series (and the books in the previous Synne series) but this one fell really flat. What I did like about the book was Lady Tesh, Mouse, and the Oddments. Everything else was eh. If I had to hear one more time the woes of Katrina I was going to fling my e-reader against the wall. Stop it girl, suck it up and live your damn life. That plotline went on and on ad nauseum. I also thought Sebastian was the most unrake like rake I have ever read and he had no backbone. No real conflict in the story and it was such a slow burn (I like slow burn but this was like pulling teeth). I will say the last 20% of the story is really good. I hate giving such a low rating because like I said before I loved the previous books. The writing is very nice though.

Fairytales sometimes do come true!

Rather a harried tale of second chance romance. Why harried you ask? Because our poor, put upon heroine is embroiled in a scandal when some lord decided to climb in through her bedroom window and her brother suffers after a duel with the miscreant. Miss Katrina Denby leaves London and ultimately finds a measure of peace and happiness on the Isle of Synne as companion to Dowager Viscountess of Tess. Only to have that come crashing down as that same (crazed?) worthless lord tracks her down, attempts to once more climb into her bedroom, only to fall to his death, Katrina knowing nothing about it until she’s awoken by the kerfuffle below her window.
And what does the local vicar do? Claims Katrina is a fallen woman and all should shun her. Which they do!
Four years ago Sebastian Thorne, Duke of Ramsleigh, had just been about to approach his friend Katrina about his feelings for her being more than friendship, when he was called home. His father had died. Sebastian was caught up in settling his father’s scandalous debts. Now he is about to marry an heiress, Diane Bridling, to bring the dukedom, and its dependants, about. A heavy burden!
His perspective father-in-law, Lord Cartmel, has an odd request before giving his permission for Sebastian to marry his daughter. He wanted Sebastian to take his son Harlow Bridling, to stay with an old acquaintance the Viscountess of Tess. The hope being that the distance would break Harlow’s relationship with an actress, Miss Mirabel Hutton.
So a chance meeting four years later between Katrina and Sebastian is already in the cards. We know that this time, somehow, someway, they will not go quietly into the night!
An engaging tale indeed!

A Forever (Grand Central Pub.) ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)